Australians are certainly pretty lucky to have some spectacular venues in which to absorb and appreciate culture. Our theatres, galleries, public venues and global icons such as the Sydney Opera House are some of the world’s finest.

But what if you want to make a weekend of your cultural cravings, rather than just attend a single show? And what if you want to get up close and personal with the artists themselves, in a more intimate setting?

Cultural weekends are now becoming more frequent and extraordinarily popular. Chamber music lends itself particularly well to such events, as the logistics of transporting just a handful of musicians and their instruments are feasible. And as our insatiable appetite for gourmet food and fine wine grows too, the venues for intimate arts festivals have moved from nondescript halls to exquisite wineries and luxury accommodation.

Organisations such as Musica Viva, the Australian String Quartet and Australian Chamber Orchestra have been satisfying their most loyal supporters and corporate sponsors for a few years now, holding weekends of music in picturesque regional settings. The Australian Festival of Chamber Music brings thousands of visitors to the Great Barrier Reef area of Townsville each July for concerts, talks, dinners, tours and a chance to interact with the performers.

It works too. In a previous life as a concert pianist, one of my fondest memories was performing music by Australian composer Ross Edwards in rural NSW, in a giant community hall, exquisitely styled with local flowers, and with huge tables heaving with a gourmet spread and organic wines. Cows were mooing and kookaburras were laughing, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

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The combination of culture in luxury surrounds is clearly a winning formula, as perfected by Hamilton Island’s qualia resort, which will host the seventh annual Pas de Deux in Paradise in 2014.

This annual weekend residency of the Australian Ballet gives guests the chance to not only experience all the indulgences of qualia, but it offers a rare look at how Australia’s national ballet company ticks. This year, four dancers were joined by artistic director David McAllister, executive director Libby Christie and Vicki Car, head of millinery.

The weekend’s program focused on closeness to the performers and their art form, and guests witnessed an intensive warm-up rehearsal, dinners, question and answer sessions, as well as an intimate performance of ballet’s most romantic duets.

Symphony under the stars

A bush setting, degustation dinners and the sound of classical music sweeping through the valley – no wonder the inaugural Symphony Under the Stars at Emirates Wolgan Valley sold out last year. It has also sold out this year, but you can contact the resort for a waitlist spot or reserve a place for 2015. The weekend includes concerts by members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and all the luxurious offerings of Wolgan Valley in the NSW Blue Mountains. March 7-9, 2014, from $740 per person, per night. The resort also has weekend art classes in May with artist in residence Georgia Mansur. Bookings (02) 9290 9733 or reservations@wolganvalley.com

West is where it’s at

It’s the perfect combination: fine wine, classical music and an intimate, picturesque setting. This is the magic of the Vasse Felix Festival, a three-concert series given by the internationally acclaimed Australian Chamber Orchestra (led by Richard Tognetti) at the Vasse Felix Art Gallery in Western Australia’s picturesque Margaret River region. Each concert will be accompanied by a dining package, with repertoire and artists to be announced later in the year. December 12-14, $350. Cnr Tom Cullity Drive and Caves Road, Cowaramup, Margaret River. Tel: (08) 9756 5000, vassefelix.com.au

A feast of strings

At the Dunkeld Festival of Music in Victoria, guests will sip exquisite wines in some of the southern Grampians’ most charming venues, including a woolshed, garden gallery and church, while watching the Australian String Quartet perform five chamber music programs over three days. The musicians will be playing on a matched set of Guadagnini instruments, handcrafted in Italy in the 1700s. A gala dinner at the Royal Mail Hotel, a lunch and a morning tea held at the woolshed are included, as are Tomich wines. April 13-15. $690 per person. Tel: 1800 040 444, asq.com.au